Shoe cover removal apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus which includes a trough for receiving a user&#39;s shoe. The trough includes a removal portal. The apparatus includes a vacuum capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into the trough. An actuator is triggered by the placement of an object in the trough, the triggering of the actuator causing the vacuum to activate. The vacuum activation causes the shoe cover to be sucked through the removal portal and into a primary chamber. The primary chamber collects the removed shoe covers and is disposed in a remote from the trough for preventing debris and other contaminants from being stored in a clean room. The apparatus may also include multiple troughs connected to one or more primary chambers.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority as a continuation-in-part of co-pendingU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/412,095, filed Mar. 26, 2009, whichclaims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to provisional application Ser.No. 61/039,681, filed Mar. 26, 2008.

FIELD

This invention relates to the field of automated show covering devices.More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus forautomatically removing shoe covers.

BACKGROUND

The outer surfaces of shoes collect many undesirable substances such asdirt and mud while worn by a person on any given day. Many industriessuch as construction, farming, and manufacturing involve workenvironments in which the collection of undesirable materials on shoesis particularly substantial. The collection of such substances on shoesand the subsequent transfer of such substances to the interior of homes,buildings, or other structures by foot traffic is undesirable and mayraise concerns regarding the cleanliness of the interior of suchstructures. Shoes may be removed before entering a home, building, orother similar structure to avoid such problems. However, in environmentswhere such a practice of removing shoes from feet before entering suchstructures is not common or otherwise impractical, shoe coverings areoften used.

Disposable shoe covers are commonly employed to avoid the need forpersons to remove their shoes before entering homes, buildings, or otherstructures. However, placing shoe covers on shoes (particularly, uncleanshoes) is inconvenient and may require a person to use hands to place ashoe cover over a shoe, thereby exposing the user's hands to thesubstances on the shoe. In addition to adding shoe covers to the feet orshoes of a user, the shoe covers that are put on must be removed.Therefore, there is a need for a mechanically reliable and simplifiedautomatic shoe cover removal apparatus that is capable of automaticremoval of a shoe cover from a user's shoe.

Additionally, there is need to perform the automatic removal of shoecovers in a manner that leaves little or no dirt, dust, germs, bacteria,fungus, viruses, toxins, drugs, small particulate matter, and/or othercontaminants near or around the shoe cover removal apparatus. Forexample, certain activities in certain industries require what are oftenreferred to as “clean rooms.” Often, shoe covers are used in a cleanroom and then must be removed in the clean room, because much of thework done in clean rooms includes the handling of materials (bothnon-living and living) that is desirably kept isolated and contained insuch clean rooms. In some applications of an automatic shoe coverremover, it is desirable to prevent debris, such as dust, ash, and othersmall particulate matter from being blown out of the automatic shoeremover into an enclosed area thereby dirtying or otherwisecontaminating the area. Also, in some applications it is desirable toprevent the debris on the removed shoe covers collected and stored bythe shoe cover remover from further contaminating the clean area.

What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus capable of efficientlyremoving a shoe cover from the appendage of a wearer. Additionally, itis desirable that such a device does not contaminate the area around theremoval apparatus with materials located on the removed shoe cover.

SUMMARY

The above and other needs are met by apparatus which includes a troughfor receiving a user's shoe. The trough includes a removal portal. Theapparatus includes a vacuum with a motor, a suction portal, and anexhaust portal, where the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover tobe removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered bya shoe cover into the trough. An actuator is triggered by the placementof an object in the trough, the triggering of the actuator causing thevacuum to activate. The vacuum activation causes the shoe cover to besucked through the removal portal and into a primary chamber. Theprimary chamber receives the removed shoe covers and includes a primarychamber input portal, and a primary chamber output portal. The primarychamber is disposed in a remote location with respect to the trough.

In another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a firsttrough for receiving a user's shoe, the first trough including a firstremoval portal, and a second trough for receiving a user's shoe, thesecond trough including a second removal portal. The apparatus includesa vacuum with a motor, a suction portal, and an exhaust portal, wherethe vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from theshoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover intoone of the troughs. An actuator is triggered by the placement of anobject in one of the troughs, the triggering of the actuator causing thevacuum to activate. The vacuum activation causes the shoe cover to besucked through the removal portal and into a primary chamber. Theprimary chamber receives the removed shoe covers and includes a primarychamber input portal, and a primary chamber output portal.

In yet another embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of troughsfor receiving a user's shoe, the plurality of troughs each including aremoval portal and an actuator triggered by the placement of an objectin the trough. The apparatus includes a vacuum with a motor, a suctionportal, and an exhaust portal. A primary chamber is disposed remotelyfrom the plurality of troughs. The primary chamber includes a lid, aprimary chamber input portal, and a primary chamber output portal. Theprimary chamber input portal is connected to the removal portal and theprimary chamber output portal is connected to the suction portal. Aporous collection container is removably located in the primary chamber,the collection container for collecting removed shoe covers. Thetriggering of one of the actuators causes the vacuum to activate,wherein the activation of the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe coverto be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe coveredby a shoe cover into one of the troughs, whereby such shoe cover issucked through the removal portal and into the primary chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention willbecome better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription, appended claims, and accompanying figures, wherein elementsare not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein likereference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views,and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of a shoe cover removal apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of a shoe cover removal apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a top view of a shoe cover removal apparatus according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective top view of a shoe cover removal apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective rear view of a shoe cover removal apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a close-up view of the vacuum of a shoe cover removalapparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of a shoe cover removal apparatus accordingto an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of a shoe cover removal apparatus thatincludes a housing for a filter according to another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 9 shows a top perspective view of a shell of a shoe cover removalapparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 shows a perspective rear view of a shoe cover removal apparatusincluding a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 shows a perspective rear view of a shoe cover removal apparatusincluding a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber according toanother embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 shows the interior of a primary chamber including a firstsub-chamber and a second sub-chamber according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of a primary chamber holding acylindrical filter according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 shows a perspective top view of a shoe cover removal apparatusincluding a trough according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 shows a front perspective view of a primary chamber according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 shows a side view of a shoe cover removal apparatus including atrough disposed remotely from the primary chamber according to anembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 17 shows a overhead schematic diagram of a shoe cover removalsystem including a primary chamber and a plurality of troughs accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an apparatus 10 for removing a shoe coverfrom the shoe of a user. As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the apparatus includes atrough 12, a vacuum device 14, a primary chamber 16, and an actuator 18.The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7 includes a frame 20 for supporting andattaching various parts of the apparatus together to form a robustdevice. The primary chamber includes a lid 22 that, in this embodiment,is manually movable to an open position (shown in FIG. 4) or a closedposition. The primary chamber is preferably cylindrical, although othershapes are contemplated by the invention.

The trough 12 includes a removal portal 24 including a gasket 26. Thevacuum device 14 includes a motor 28, a suction portal 30 and an exhaustportal 32. The motor 28 is preferably approved by UnderwritersLaboratories, Inc. The motor 28 may be a bypass motor having a dual fanarrangement. The dual fan arrangement includes a first fan that sucksair through the suction portal 30 causing a main air flow and a secondfan that draws air from outside the bypass motor for cooling the motor28 and causing a cooling air flow. The bypass motor is configured sothat the main air flow and cooling air flow is separate. In certainembodiments, a filter, preferably a high efficiency particulate air(HEPA) filter, is included at the cooling air flow outlet for removingdebris and other contaminants from the air used to cool the bypassmotor. The primary chamber 16 includes an input portal 34 and an outputportal 36. The removal portal 24 is connected to the input portal 34 ofthe primary chamber 16. The output portal 36 of the primary chamber 16is connected to the suction portal 30 of the vacuum device 14. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 7, the removal portal 24 is connected to theinput portal 34 via a flexible hose 38. As shown in FIG. 2, the outputportal 36 is connected to the suction portal 30 directly by connector40. All of these connections are preferably substantially hermeticallysealed when the vacuum is activated.

The actuator 18 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7 includes adetection system that further includes at least one detection sensor 42for detecting when a user places an object in the trough, preferablyusing infrared light detection. In alternate embodiments, the detectionsensor 42 could be a pressure sensor or other suitable sensors. Thesystem also includes a circuit board 44 with control logic. The circuitboard is preferably approved by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Theactuator 18 activates the vacuum device 14. Thus, when a user wearing ashoe with a shoe cover places the shoe into the trough, the sensor 42sends a signal to the circuit board 44, and the circuit board 44 andassociated control logic causes power to flow to the vacuum motor 28.After the motor 28 is turned on, a vacuum is created within the trough12 at the removal portal, such that the shoe cover is removed from theshoe of the user and sucked into the removal portal 24 and to theprimary chamber 16 where shoe covers may be collected. In a preferredembodiment, the vacuum device 14 shuts off when a user removes the shoefrom the trough. In alternate embodiments, the vacuum device 14 shutsoff automatically after a pre-determined period of time programmed inthe control logic. In certain embodiments, the apparatus 10 alsoincludes a manual override control that is capable of cutting power tothe vacuum device 14.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the input portal is located along thelid 22. Hose 38 may connect to a lid input portal 46. The lid 22 furtherincludes a lid chamber 48. Air, shoe covers, and anything else beingpulled through the apparatus 10 may exit the lid chamber 48 via the lidoutput portal 50 which, in this embodiment, also acts as the primarychamber input portal 34. The apparatus 10 preferably includes acollection container 52 that fits within the primary chamber 16. Thecollection container 52 is porous, allowing for air to flow through thecontainer 52 but prohibiting shoe covers from escaping the container 52.The container 52 may be removed from the primary chamber 16 when the lid22 is in an open position, thereby facilitating the removal of shoecovers from the apparatus 10. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-4 includesa cover plate 54 attached to the frame 20. The cover plate 54 preferablyincludes a notch 56 allowing for hose 38 to fit through the cover plate54 to keep the apparatus 10 more compact. Container 52 is preferably amesh bag. The mesh container 52 is preferably connected to a rigidcircular ring which removably rests in a notch in the cover plate 54. Inalternate embodiments, the mesh container may be removably connected tothe cover plate using other mechanisms. One alternative or addition tousing a mesh container 52 is to use a screen 53 (see FIG. 11) to hinderlarger materials (including shoe covers) from being sucked through theoutput portal 36.

FIG. 9 shows a shell 56 that may be placed over the frame 20 foraesthetic and other purposes. Shell 56 includes a trough aperture 58 sothat the trough 12 is not covered by the shell 56. The Shell may besized and shaped as needed to conform to the dimensions of a particularframe.

Some applications of the shoe cover removal apparatus 10 require a veryhigh degree of cleanliness. For these and other situations, apparatus 10may have a primary chamber 16 which is sub-divided into a firstsub-chamber 114 and a second sub-chamber 116. The first sub-chamber 114is for receiving removed shoe covers and, in some embodiments, a housingcollection container 52. The second sub-chamber 116 is for housing afilter 118, preferably a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter,to remove dirt, dust, germs, bacteria, fungus, viruses, toxins, drugs,small particulate matter, and other contaminants from the materialsbeing sucked through the container 52 and/or screen 53. In theembodiments shown in FIGS. 10-13, the filters to be used wouldpreferably be cylindrical, filtering laterally from the outsidecylindrical perimeter surface 120 of the filter to an interior channel122. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the output portal 36 of theprimary chamber 16 is substantially hermetically connected to thesuction portal 30 of the vacuum device 14 via tube 125.

In a related embodiment shown in FIGS. 11-12, the first sub-chamber 114of the primary chamber 16 is subdivided into an upper portion 111 forreceiving removed shoe covers and housing collection container 52, ifapplicable. A lower portion 113 of the first sub-chamber 114 is forhousing a filter 118, preferably a HEPA filter, to remove dirt, dust,germs, bacteria, fungus, viruses, toxins, drugs, small particulatematter, and other contaminants from the materials being sucked throughthe container 52 and/or screen 53. The second sub-chamber 116 is forreceiving filtered air through an exchange portal 218 between the firstsub-chamber 114 and the second sub-chamber 116 and connecting the firstsub-chamber 114 to the output portal 36 of the primary chamber 16. FIG.13 shows a cross-sectional view cut along line A-A shown in FIG. 12. Airand any debris moves in the direction of the arrows from cavity 220 intothe filter 118. Substantially purified air then flows from the interiorof the filter 118 through the exchange portal 218.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 8, an apparatus 10 is shownincluding a trough 12, a vacuum device 14, a primary chamber 16, anactuator 18, and a frame 20. The vacuum device 14 includes a motor 28, asuction portal 30 and an exhaust portal 32. In this embodiment, ratherthan including a filter in the primary chamber 16, a filter housing 312is attached to the exhaust portal 32 of the vacuum device 14. Thehousing 312 is for attaching a filter, preferably a HEPA filter, so thatexhaust gas and any associated debris and/or contaminants may befiltered prior to exiting the apparatus 310. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 8, the apparatus 310 includes an attachment interface 314 forattaching a HEPA filter within the housing 312. As with embodimentsdiscussed above, in one embodiment, gas and any debris moves from anopen cavity 316 into the filter 118. Purified gas then flows from theinterior of the filter 118 through the exit portal 318 to theenvironment.

All of the spaces that are directly and indirectly connected to vacuumdevice 14 are preferably substantially hermetically sealed so that theoperation of the vacuum device 14 is effective to suck shoe covers offof the shoe of a user and to prevent debris and contaminants fromescaping the apparatus. Gaskets are preferably used with allinterconnections of various portions of apparatus (10, 110, 210, and310). Such gaskets are preferably made from synthetic rubber, syntheticrubber and flouropolymer elastomer (e.g., Viton® from DuPont PerformanceElastomers, LLC, of Wilmington, Del.), polysiloxane, or flouropolymers(e.g., Teflon® from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, of Wilmington,Del.). The primary chamber 16 is preferably made from metal or a metalalloy (e.g., aluminum, steel, iron). The trough 12 and the shell 56 arepreferably made from polymers such as polyvinylchloride (PVC). However,in various embodiments of the invention, other suitable materials may beused for the system components.

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 14-16, a primary chamber 316 may belocated remotely from a trough 312 so that the removed shoe coverscollected by the apparatus 310 are stored at a distance sufficient toprevent the debris and contaminates on the removed shoe covers frombeing stored in an area that is desired to be as clean as possible. Forexample, the trough 312 may be located in a “clean room” and the primarychamber 316 may be located in a separate room preferably adjacent the“clean room.” Thus, the shoe cover of a user is sucked through a removalportal 324 of the trough 312 in the “clean room” and travels through aflexible hose 338 to a primary chamber 316 that is located remotely fromthe trough 312 so that the contaminated shoe covers are collected andstored in an area other than in the immediate location of the “cleanroom.” The flexible hose 338 connecting the trough 312 to the primarychamber 316 may be a flexible vacuum hose as shown in FIGS. 7-8. In apreferred embodiment, the flexible hose 338 is two inch diameterflexible polyvinyl chloride tubing (PVC).

Similar to the device shown in FIGS. 1-7, the trough 312 includes aremoval portal 324, a vacuum device 314, and an actuator 318. The vacuumdevice 314 includes a motor 328, a suction portal 330, and an exhaustportal 332. The primary chamber 316 includes an input portal 334 and anoutput portal 336. A collection container 352 fits within the primarychamber 316. A lid 322 is provided for providing access to thecollection container 352, and the connection between the primary chamber316 and lid 322 is preferably substantially hermetically sealed when thelid 322 is in a closed position. The collection container 352 is porous,allowing for air to flow through the container 352 but prohibiting shoecovers from escaping the container 352. The container 352 may be removedfrom the primary chamber 316 when the lid 322 is in an open position,thereby facilitating the removal of shoe covers from the apparatus 310.The container 352 may also be replaceable so that new clean containers352 may be inserted into the primary chamber 316 for collecting theremoved shoe covers.

As shown in FIG. 16, the removal portal 324 is connected to the inputportal 334 of the primary chamber 316 using the flexible hose 338 a. Theoutput portal 336 of the primary chamber 316 is connected to the suctionportal 330 of the vacuum device 314 using the flexible hose 338 b. Allof these connections are preferably substantially hermetically sealedwhen the vacuum 314 is activated by the actuator 318. The actuator 318is triggered by the placement of a user's foot in the trough 312 and theactivation of the vacuum device 314 causes a shoe cover to be removedfrom the shoe of the user. The shoe cover is sucked through the removalportal 324 and into the collection container 352 of the primary chamber316. In one embodiment, the container 352 is a porous disposable,replaceable bag, similar to a vacuum cleaner bag.

In a related embodiment, a plurality of troughs 312 may be connected toone or more primary chambers 316. For example, as shown in the schematicdiagram in FIG. 17, a plurality of troughs 312 are located in aplurality of “clean rooms” 360. After being sucked through a removalportal 324 of one of the troughs 312, the removed shoe covers travelsthrough the flexible hose 338 to a primary chamber 316 located in achamber room 362 separated from the clean rooms 360. In this embodiment,the primary chamber 316 may have multiple input portals 334 forconnecting the plurality of troughs 312, but the flexible hoses 338 ofthe plurality of troughs 312 are preferably interconnected so that eachof the removed shoe covers enters the primary chamber 316 through thesame input portal 334.

In this embodiment, the vacuum device 314 is preferably disposed at theprimary chamber 316 as opposed to being part of trough 312. However, insome embodiments, the troughs 312 may also include their own vacuumdevices for additional power. The vacuum device 314 at the primarychamber 316 is in rest mode until an actuator 318 at one of the troughs312 detects when a user places a shoe in the trough 312. The removalportals 324 of the troughs may be substantially sealed when in rest modeand then unsealed when the trough 312 is activated. When a user placesthe shoe into one of the troughs 312, the actuator sends a signal to thevacuum device 314 causing power to flow to the particular trough 312that detected the user. After the vacuum device 314 is activated, avacuum is created within the trough 312 at the removal portal 324, suchthat the shoe cover is removed from the shoe of the user and suckedthrough the removal portal 324 and into the flexible hose 338. Theflexible hose 338 shown in FIG. 17 is in-wall PVC tubing. The removedshoe covers then travel through the in-wall tubing 338 to the collectioncontainer 352 of the primary chamber 316. Booster motors 364 may beprovided within the in-wall tubing 338 between the removal portal 324 ofa trough 312 and the primary chamber 316 for providing enhanced suctionto a removal portal 324.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this inventionhas been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Theyare not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possiblein light of the above teachings. For example, a suitable filter may beprovided at various positions not particularly disclosed herein whichare within the flow path of the automatic shoe cover remover. Theembodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the bestillustrations of the principles of the invention and its practicalapplication, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art toutilize the invention in various embodiments and with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All suchmodifications and variations are within the scope of the invention asdetermined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance withthe breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

1. An apparatus for removing a shoe cover from a user's shoe, theapparatus comprising: a trough for receiving a user's shoe, the troughincluding a removal portal; a vacuum device including a motor, a suctionportal, and an exhaust portal; a primary chamber operable to be disposedin a remote location with respect to the trough and including a primarychamber input portal, the primary chamber for receiving removed shoecovers, the primary chamber input portal being connected with theremoval portal; and an actuator triggered by the placement of an objectin the trough, the triggering of the actuator causing the vacuum motorto activate, wherein the activation of the vacuum motor is capable ofcausing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a userplaces a shoe covered by a shoe cover into the trough, whereby such shoecover is sucked through the removal portal and into the primary chamber.2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the trough is disposed in a firstroom and the remote location of the primary chamber is a second room. 3.The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a booster motor disposedbetween the removal portal and the primary chamber for providingenhanced suction to the removal portal.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the vacuum motor is a bypass motor having a dual fanarrangement, the dual fan arrangement including a first fan that sucksair through the suction portal causing a main air flow and a second fanthat draws air from outside the bypass motor for cooling the bypassmotor and causing a cooling air flow, the bypass motor being configuredso that the main air flow and cooling air flow are separate.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4 further comprising a filter for removing debris andother contaminants from the air being drawn from outside the bypassmotor.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuum device is disposedadjacent the trough.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuumdevice is disposed adjacent the primary chamber.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 7 further comprising: a second trough for receiving a user's shoe,the second trough including a second removal portal connected to theprimary chamber input portal; and a second actuator triggered by theplacement of an object in the second trough, the triggering of thesecond actuator causing the vacuum device to activate, wherein theactivation of the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to beremoved from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by ashoe cover into the second trough, whereby such shoe cover is suckedthrough the second removal portal and into the primary chamber.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator further comprises a motiondetection system including a motion detecting sensor and a circuit boardelectrically connected to the sensor, wherein power to the vacuum deviceis substantially controlled by the motion detection system.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary chamber includes a primarychamber output portal, the primary chamber output portal being connectedwith the suction portal.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 furthercomprising a porous collection container removably located in theprimary chamber, the collection container for collecting removed shoecovers and preventing removed shoe covers from obstructing the primarychamber output portal, wherein the collection container may be removedfrom the primary chamber via a primary chamber lid.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11 wherein the primary chamber lid is operable to substantiallyhermetically seal the porous collection container within the primarychamber.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary chamber inputportal is substantially hermetically connected with the removal portal.14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the removal portal of the troughand the input portal of the primary chamber are connected by flexiblepolyvinyl chloride tubing.
 15. An apparatus for removing a shoe coverfrom a user's shoe, the apparatus comprising: a first trough forreceiving a user's shoe, the first trough including a first removalportal; a second trough for receiving a user's shoe, the second troughincluding a second removal portal; a vacuum including a motor, a suctionportal, and an exhaust portal; a primary chamber including a primarychamber input portal, the primary chamber for receiving removed shoecovers, the primary chamber input portal being connected with the firstremoval portal and the second removal portal; a first actuator triggeredby the placement of an object in the first trough, the triggering of thefirst actuator causing the vacuum to activate, wherein the activation ofthe vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from theshoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover intothe first trough, whereby such shoe cover is sucked through the firstremoval portal and into the primary chamber; and a second actuatortriggered by the placement of an object in the second trough, thetriggering of the second actuator causing the vacuum to activate,wherein the activation of the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe coverto be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe coveredby a shoe cover into the second trough, whereby such shoe cover issucked through the second removal portal and into the primary chamber.16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the primary chamber input portalincludes a first input portal and a second input portal, the first inputportal for connecting with the first removal portal and the second inputportal for connecting with the second removal portal.
 17. The apparatusof claim 15 wherein the primary chamber is disposed in a remote locationwith respect to at least one of the first and second trough.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 17 wherein the vacuum is disposed adjacent theprimary chamber.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising atleast one booster motor disposed between the inlet portal of the primarychamber and the first and second removal portals.
 20. An apparatus forremoving a shoe cover from a user's shoe, the apparatus comprising: aplurality of troughs for receiving a user's shoe, the plurality oftroughs each including a removal portal and an actuator triggered by theplacement of an object in the trough; a vacuum including a motor, asuction portal, and an exhaust portal; a primary chamber disposedremotely from the plurality of troughs, the primary chamber including alid, and a primary chamber input portal, the primary chamber forreceiving removed shoe covers and the primary chamber input portal beingconnected to the removal portal; and a porous collection containerremovably located in the primary chamber, the collection container forcollecting removed shoe covers, wherein the triggering of one of theactuators causes the vacuum to activate, wherein the activation of thevacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe ofa user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into one of thetroughs, whereby such shoe cover is sucked through the removal portaland into the primary chamber.